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Cream of NCEA art and design on show

Wednesday 4 April 2012, 5:50PM

By Massey University

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Hana Paine and Tahiwi Trenor Hunt both achieved Excellence in NCEA Level 3 Visual Arts. They are now studying at the University's School of Design and School of Fine Arts.
Hana Paine and Tahiwi Trenor Hunt both achieved Excellence in NCEA Level 3 Visual Arts. They are now studying at the University's School of Design and School of Fine Arts. Credit: Massey University
Work by Shannon Power (Chilton St James, 2011)
Work by Shannon Power (Chilton St James, 2011) Credit: Massey University
Work by Hana Paine (Epsom Girls' Grammar, 2011)
Work by Hana Paine (Epsom Girls' Grammar, 2011) Credit: Massey University
Work by Tahiwi Trenor Hunt (Horowhenua College, 2011)
Work by Tahiwi Trenor Hunt (Horowhenua College, 2011) Credit: Massey University

An exhibition featuring some of New Zealand’s most talented teens opens at Massey University this week.

Top Art is an annual exhibition organised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The exhibition tours work by students who achieved excellence in NCEA level 3 for their Visual Art portfolio. It covers all five streams: design, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.

In the past, half the work has toured the upper North Island while the rest has been sent around the lower North Island and the South Island. This year, for the first time, the entire collection of 60 selected art pieces is being shown together, through the use of the exhibition facilities at Massey’s historic museum building.

Massey University is proud to be associated with this event. The Pro Vice-Chancellor for the College of Creative Arts, Associate Professor Claire Robinson says “these students are driven to create and innovate. They are as vital to New Zealand’s future as their peers in science and engineering. Over the course of their lives, they will shape and contribute to New Zealand’s economy and society in ways none of us can fully predict.”

Three of Massey’s first year students have their final secondary school work in the show: Tahiwi Trenor Hunt (Horowhenua College), Hana Paine (Epsom Girls) and Shannon Power (Chilton St James).

NZQA, meanwhile, is welcoming the new opening exhibition because it brings all the works together. “The exhibition aims to give the public a real overview of the quality of work produced by students. We hope that the opening exhibition along with the annual tour inspires the next generation of artists to emerge and achieve in visual arts now and in the future,” NZQA’s Deputy Chief Executive, Qualifications, Richard Thornton says.

The exhibition will be open to the public from April 4-13 before moving onto the first stage of the tours.